The Climate of
Malaysia
Ringlet town in Cameron Highlands, Pahang
Climate Map
Climate map of Malaysia
What is the climate of Malaysia like?
Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia and consists of two separate, non-contiguous regions: the southern part of Peninsular Malay, which borders Thailand to the north; and the northern third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and Brunei. The South China Sea separates the two regions. In both areas, the highest mountains rise to over 2,000 meters (6,500 feet).
Lying in the same tropical latitudes, the two segments of Malaysia have similar climates. All of Malaysia lies between 1° and 6°N and has an equatorial climate with high temperatures and wet months throughout the year. Mean daily temperatures in the coastal areas of both parts of the country vary between minimums around 23°C (73°F) and maximums around 33°C (91°F); in the mountains temperatures are substantially cooler.
The main climate differences within the country result from differences in altitude and the exposure of the coastal lowlands to the alternating south-west and north-east monsoon winds. The former blows from April to September and the latter from November to February. Both monsoonal seasons are hot and wet, and differ principally by the direction of the wind. During the transition in March and October there is a short period of changing winds.
Coasts exposed to the northeast monsoon in Malaysia tend to be wetter than those exposed to the southwest monsoon. Precipitation is well distributed throughout the year, falling for up to 150 to 200 days almost everywhere. In many places there is a pronounced double rainy season, with the heaviest rainfall falling in the two periods March to May and September to November.
Kuching in Sarawak and Kuantan on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia show that November to March, when the northeast monsoon blows, is the wettest time here. Kota Kinabalu in Sabah experiences the southwest monsoon and receives additional rain from May to September.
| Climate data for Kuching (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29.7 (85.5) | 30.2 (86.4) | 31.2 (88.2) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.6 (90.7) | 32.6 (90.7) | 32.3 (90.1) | 32.5 (90.5) | 31.9 (89.4) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.5 (88.7) | 30.6 (87.1) | 31.6 (88.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.6 (79.9) | 27.0 (80.6) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.1 (79.0) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.3 (79.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.2 (73.8) | 23.3 (73.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.2 (73.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 701 (27.6) | 457 (18.0) | 351 (13.8) | 277 (10.9) | 246 (9.7) | 224 (8.8) | 206 (8.1) | 243 (9.6) | 260 (10.2) | 339 (13.3) | 361 (14.2) | 500 (19.7) | 4,165 (163.9) |
| Source: Ogimet | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Kuantan (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29.6 (85.3) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.9 (89.4) | 33.0 (91.4) | 33.4 (92.1) | 33.1 (91.6) | 32.7 (90.9) | 32.8 (91.0) | 32.6 (90.7) | 32.3 (90.1) | 30.8 (87.4) | 29.4 (84.9) | 31.9 (89.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.3 (77.5) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.6 (79.9) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.0 (80.6) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.6 (79.9) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.3 (77.5) | 26.6 (79.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.5 (72.5) | 23.2 (73.8) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.3 (73.9) | 23.3 (73.9) | 23.2 (73.8) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.3 (73.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 283 (11.1) | 131 (5.2) | 191 (7.5) | 148 (5.8) | 185 (7.3) | 157 (6.2) | 158 (6.2) | 200 (7.9) | 198 (7.8) | 267 (10.5) | 396 (15.6) | 652 (25.7) | 2,966 (116.8) |
| Source: Ogimet | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Kota Kinabalu (1971–2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.7 (87.3) | 31.5 (88.7) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.1 (89.8) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.5 (88.7) | 31.6 (88.9) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.0 (87.8) | 30.9 (87.6) | 31.4 (88.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.9 (80.4) | 27.5 (81.5) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.2 (82.8) | 27.9 (82.2) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.7 (81.9) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.3 (81.1) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.5 (81.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 22.9 (73.2) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.4 (74.1) | 24.1 (75.4) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.6 (74.5) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.3 (73.9) | 23.6 (74.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 104.8 (4.13) | 73.4 (2.89) | 50.5 (1.99) | 114.2 (4.50) | 216.2 (8.51) | 279.4 (11.00) | 262.7 (10.34) | 270.3 (10.64) | 285.2 (11.23) | 345.8 (13.61) | 302.4 (11.91) | 242.3 (9.54) | 2,547.2 (100.28) |
| Source: World Meteorological Organisation | |||||||||||||
Temperatures vary little from month to month, humidity is high and there is not much daily temperature variation, so night time temperatures are oppressive. Temperatures are significantly lower in the hills, where there are a number of resorts, but while there is little temperature stress in the hills, the high humidity, high rainfall and low levels of sunshine negate this benefit. Kuala Lumpur, located at low altitude inland, is representative of the lowland areas of Malaysia. The climate of the Cameron Highlands reflects the cooler conditions in the mountains.
| Climate data for Kuala Lumpur | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.8 (91.0) | 33.1 (91.6) | 33.1 (91.6) | 33.0 (91.4) | 32.8 (91.0) | 32.8 (91.0) | 32.3 (90.1) | 32.1 (89.8) | 32.0 (89.6) | 31.7 (89.1) | 31.5 (88.7) | 32.4 (90.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.7 (81.9) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.6 (83.5) | 28.7 (83.7) | 28.8 (83.8) | 28.6 (83.5) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.0 (82.4) | 28.0 (82.4) | 27.8 (82.0) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.2 (82.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.6 (74.5) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.6 (76.3) | 24.3 (75.7) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.9 (75.0) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.6 (74.5) | 23.9 (75.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 193 (7.6) | 198 (7.8) | 257 (10.1) | 290 (11.4) | 197 (7.8) | 131 (5.2) | 148 (5.8) | 162 (6.4) | 214 (8.4) | 265 (10.4) | 321 (12.6) | 252 (9.9) | 2,628 (103.4) |
| Source: www.pogodaiklimat.ru | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Cameron Highlands | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 21.4 (70.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.2 (73.8) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 22.3 (72.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) | 17.6 (63.7) | 18.2 (64.8) | 18.7 (65.7) | 18.7 (65.7) | 18.4 (65.1) | 18.0 (64.4) | 17.8 (64.0) | 17.7 (63.9) | 17.6 (63.7) | 17.6 (63.7) | 17.2 (63.0) | 17.9 (64.2) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 14.6 (58.3) | 14.7 (58.5) | 15.2 (59.4) | 15.8 (60.4) | 16.1 (61.0) | 15.6 (60.1) | 15.3 (59.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 14.9 (58.8) | 15.3 (59.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 109.5 (4.31) | 115.1 (4.53) | 198.4 (7.81) | 275.7 (10.85) | 268.8 (10.58) | 145.1 (5.71) | 162.1 (6.38) | 180.2 (7.09) | 244.8 (9.64) | 334.7 (13.18) | 300.6 (11.83) | 203.1 (8.00) | 2,538.1 (99.91) |
| Source: Malaysian Meteorological Department | |||||||||||||
Malaysia's climate is quite oppressive and humid for the unacclimatized visitor, but severe heat stress is rare. The worst months are March, April and October, when winds are light during the transition from the south-west to the north-east monsoon. In the afternoons, coastal conditions are relieved by sea breezes. Wind speed is the most important factor in Malaysia to mitigate the oppressive humidity. The daily hours of sunshine are inversely proportional to the amount of rain. They average between four and five hours in the wettest months and eight or nine in the drier periods. As in many other parts of the equatorial regions, it often rains heavily accompanied by thunder.
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Malaysia Handbook, (1972), Central Intelligence Agency
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
Malaysia
In summary:
Malaysia has a basically tropical climate, characterized by fairly high but uniform temperatures ranging from 23°C to 31°C (73°F to 88°F), with high humidity. Lying very close to the equator, Malaysia’s seasons are based primarily on rainfall patterns.
Malaysia experiences high rainfall, averaging about 2500 mm (100 inches) annually, and occurring during one or two monsoon seasons.